Philip Mwakio
12 March 2008
Nairobi — Seven human rights activists have been arrested for holding an illegal demonstration.
They were part of civil society members who wanted to give a memorandum to the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) Chairman, Mr Samuel Kivuitu, in Kilifi, on Tuesday.
The memorandum called for the disbandment of the commission and urges the Finance ministry to freeze its accounts.
The protest was a follow up of the Monday incident when members of the National Civil Society Council (NCSC) stormed the meeting at a Coast hotel and told Kivuitu and his team to resign.
Those locked up at Kijipwa Police Station are Ms Maria Wambui, Ms Kibibi Mohamed and Ms Peninah Ngula.
Others are the Muslim for Human Rights (Muhuri) co-ordinator, Mr Khalid Hussein, Mr Caleb Ngwena, Mr Hassan Greeves and Mr Evans Gachie.
"We demand to be told why we are being arrested. This is unfair to justice," shouted Gachie as he was bundled into a police vehicle.
A copy of the memorandum to the ECK chairman reads: "We want a commission established to investigate the elections and demand that ECK co-operate fully."
Kilifi OCPD, Mr Nehemiah Lang'at, led police officers in sealing off the entrance to the Sun N' Sand Beach Resort, Kikambala, where ECK commissioners are meeting to review last year's General Election.
The activists had arrived in three matatus and attempted to storm the hotel, but were repulsed by security.
They argued with the guards and displayed placards denouncing Kivuitu and the 22 ECK commissioners.
Some of the placards read: "ECK burn alone, not with the rest of Kenya", Wapwani Hatutaki Wauaji wa halaiki - Muende Zenu (We do not want killers at the Coast, go back where you come from).
Members of civil society protested bitterly at the arrest of their colleagues and called for their release.
Mr Wanyiri Kihoro, confronted the OCPD and told him the seven were to present a memorandum to Kivuitu and had not broken the law.
"They have been looking for Kivuitu and have traced him here. Holding them against their wishes flouts their constitutional rights as Kenyans," Kihoro said.
A calm Kivuitu emerged from the conference hall for the tea break, but refused to talk to journalists.
ECK has been on the receiving end since the announcement of the presidential election results on December 30, last year.
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